Exch 5.5 to Exch03 Mirgration Forum - after DST

[rws70]

This thread has evolved from the DST issues with Exchange 5.5 (e5.5).
Many on that thread are ready to upgrade to Exchange 2003 (e03) in April. This is my plan too.
If you already have an action plan please post so we can compare notes. If you run into problems post those too.

Here's to successful upgrades!

My setup:

Ex5.5, OWA, and blackberry all running on W2Ksp4 servers with Win2K active directory (ad2K). 70 users, a couple of Pub Folders, and 20 Distro Lists.

Current plan options:

1. Add an e03 server to the current site using MS tools, move mailboxes, remove e5.5 servers, then ... upgrade to ad03.

2. Same as option 1. but upgrade to ad03 first.

3. Some other plan (see below) where I run an e03 server on a parallel site or org and move users over one by one.

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Thoughts / Concerns

Even though adding an e03 server to the current site is the MS recommended method, there seems to be lot's of potential little problems that can come up trying to get e5.5 and e03 to coexist temporarily. I've read old migration posts on the e03 forum. Therefore I am also interested in some kind of parallel option where I build an e03 server in it's own site or org and some how move user's pst over to the e03 server, forward their new incoming email to the new e03 mailbox from the e5.5 server, and then point the user 's Outlook to the e03 server ... then do the same for everyone, and when finished point dns mx records to the e03 site/server and bring down the e5.5 site. Is this or something similar possible?

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Current Questions:

Q1: Can e5.5 run on ad03? Should I upgrage to ad03 first?

Q2: My new hardware is Dell PE2850 with six hard drives. What is the best raid setup?

3 logical drives of raid 1 (2 disks each) - system, logs, store ... each on a pair of disks.

(this is what I have now for e5.5 because the person who set it up thought it was very important to give the logs their own set of disks)

or

1 logical drive raid 1 (2 disks) for system and logs (separate partitions)
1 logical drive raid 5 (3 disks) for store
1 extra fail over disk

or
1 logical drive raid 1 (2 disks) for system and logs (separate partitions)
1 logical drive raid 10 (4 disks) for store

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My company may be willing to hire a consultant who had done this many times to help us out. I have been so busy I have not had the time to do all the lab testing and research, etc. - location is san francisco bay area. Please contact me if you know someone who would be interested.

Thanks
RWS
rws AT yahoo.com

 

[Zelandakh]

1. Ex5.5 will only work on NT4 or Windows 2000. Not 2003 Server.
2. Stay as you are - it is a good set up.

 

[stehazza]

Go with option 1! Co-exist 5.5 with 2003 and move you mailboxes and replicate your PF's - rehome your PF's and make sure your SMTP config on 2003 is sound before knocking off your 5.5 server. Pay attention to your First in Site roles on 5.5 to make sure you rehome things like Free busy/ schedule+.

I'd love to come and do it for you .. all expenses obviously..